1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for storing time-dependent products. More specifically, the present invention relates to a contact lens case having a timing mechanism for reminding the contact lens wearer when to perform a certain event (enzyming, disposing, etc.).
2. Background of Art Related to the Invention
Over the last decade, contact lenses have become a popular option to persons having partially impaired vision, typically those persons who are near-sighted. A paramount reason for such popularity is that contact lenses are typically not as problematic as eyeglasses for many activities. For example, during recreational activities involving running, jumping or quick lateral movement, eyeglasses have a tendency of becoming fogged from changes in body temperature of the wearer or of being dislodged and possibly damaged. Another problem is that eyeglasses generally do not provide adequate peripheral vision which may be quite bothersome.
Currently, there are two types of contact lenses in the marketplace; namely, "hard" and "soft" contact lenses. The "soft" contact lenses are generally preferred since many contact lens wearers believe that they are more comfortable than "hard" contact lenses. Unfortunately, these "soft" contact lenses generally require a more thorough cleaning practice than that required for "hard" contact lenses. For example, one common task of this cleaning practice involves enzyming contact lenses after a predetermined time period, generally one week. If the cleaning practice is not consistently followed, the contact lens wearer becomes more susceptible to eye irritation and/or eye infections caused by bacteria, protein deposits and the like on the contact lenses.
For those contact wearers who are highly susceptible to eye irritation and/or infections or find this cleaning practice arduous, many contact lens manufacturers are beginning to market "disposable" soft contact lenses (hereinafter referred to as "disposable lenses"). A pair of disposable lenses are worn by the vision-impaired person for a predetermined number of days and thereafter, are thrown away and substituted with a new pair.
A common problem experienced by contact lens wearers of disposable and regular contact lenses is that he or she occasionally forgets to timely dispose of his or her disposable contact lenses, enzyme his or her contact lenses and other time critical practices. The lack of a timing mechanism in close proximity to the contact lens case increases the likelihood of the contact lens wearer forgetting to perform one or more of these practices, thereby increasing his or her chances of developing eye irritation and/or infection. There does not exist any device which is simple and solves the problems discussed above for contact lens wearers.